Irakere
| Irakere | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Songo, Latin jazz, jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Areito, Bembe, Columbia, Milestone, Blue Note, Far Out |
| Associated acts | La 440, Ivan Lins, Los Van Van, NG La Banda, Orquesta Revé, Habana Ensemble, Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Silvio Rodríguez, Diákara |
| Members | Jorge Luis Valdés Chicoy Irving Michel Acao Basilio Márquez Julio Padrón Adel González Maikel Ante |
| Past members |
Chucho Valdés Arturo Sandoval Paquito D'Rivera Anga Díaz Carlos Emilio Morales Carlos Averhoff Carlos del Puerto Oscar Valdés Jorge Varona José Luis Cortés "El Tosco" Bernardo Garcia Enrique Plá Jorge Alfonso "El Niño" Armando Cuervo Carlos Barbón Germán Velazco Juan Munguía José Miguel Crego "El Greco" César López Orlando Valle "Maraca" Adalberto Lara Mayra Caridad Valdés Jorge Reyes Román Filiú Lázaro Alfonso "El Tato" Chuchito Valdés José Miguel Fran Padilla Mario Hernanadez "El Indio" |
Irakere (faux-Yoruba for 'forest') is a Cuban band founded by pianist Chucho Valdés (son of Bebo Valdés) in 1973. They won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording in 1980 with their album Irakere. Irakere was a seminal musical laboratory, where historic innovations in both Afro-Cuban jazz and Cuban popular dance music were created. The group used a wide array of percussion instruments like batá, abakuá and arará drums, chequerés, erikundis, maracas, claves, cencerros, bongó, tumbadoras (congas), and güiro.
"Jazz bands" began forming in Cuba as early as the 1920s. These bands often included both Cuban popular music and popular North American jazz, and show tunes in their repertoires. Despite this musical versatility, the movement of blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz was not strong in Cuba itself for decades. As Leonardo Acosta observes: "Afro-Cuban jazz developed simultaneously in New York and Havana, with the difference that in Cuba it was a silent and almost natural process, practically imperceptible" (2003: 59). Cuba's significant contribution to the genre came relatively late. However, when it did come, the Cubans exhibited a level of Cuban-jazz integration that went far beyond most of what had come before. The first Cuban band of this new wave was Irakere.
With Irakere, a new era in Cuban jazz begins in 1973, one that will extend all the way to the present. At the same time, this period represents the culmination of a series of individual and collective efforts from our so-called transition period, which will end with the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna. Irakere was in part a product of the Moderna, as its founding members completed their musical training in that orchestra and also played jazz in the different quartets and quintets that were created with the OCMM. Among the founders of Irakere were pianist Chucho Valdés, its director since the beginning; saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, who acted as assistant director; trumpet player Jorge Varona; guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales; bassist Carlos del Puerto; drummer Bernardo García; and percussionist Oscar Valdés II, also a singer—Acosta (2003: 211).
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